Mystery fire guts Cape Town train

Officials suspect that arsonists are behind a fire that sent toxic black smoke rising above Muizenberg where a train burned at the station.

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Cape Town - A massive plume of toxic black smoke rose above Muizenberg from a train burning on the tracks at the station.

City officials said they suspected the cause of the fire was arson. No injuries have been reported.

Fire-fighters on the scene had their hoses ready but were unable to douse the blaze because the high voltage overhead cables were still live.

One fireman said they were waiting for the electricity to be switched off in Cape Town.

“We can't put water on that fire with electricity on in those cables. It'll kill you,” one unidentified fireman said.

It appeared that five coaches were on fire.

Staff at a nearby bottle store said the fire had started around 5pm. The interior of the shop was hazy with smoke.

By 6.50pm it was still burning - apparently spreading from one coach to another.

Crowds of onlookers swarmed around the parking area near Muizenberg - some with children - while firefighters and traffic officials shouted at them to get out of the black smoke, a health hazard because of the chemicals it contained from the burning materials.

Independent Media